Every road of the Inca empire began here. The great square of Cusco, which the Incas called Hauk'aypata, was the ceremonial heart of Tawantinsuyu, the land of the four quarters, and from it the main roads radiated out to the four parts of the empire, to Quito in the north, to Chile and Argentina in the south, to the jungle in the east and the coast in the west. The square was much larger than today's Plaza de Armas and was covered, according to the chroniclers, with sand brought from the coast, in which offerings of gold and silver were buried. Here, mummies of past rulers were brought out for festivals, and the Inca received ambassadors and celebrated victories.
The Spanish built their own city right on top of the Inca one, and Cusco is one of the most striking examples of that layering. The cathedral stands on the site of an Inca palace, the Jesuit church on another, and the walls of colonial houses rest on Inca foundations of perfectly fitted stones, some with a dozen angles. The Qorikancha, the temple of the sun, was turned into the convent of Santo Domingo, and its Inca stonework survives inside. Cusco and its historic centre, along with the Qhapaq Ñan, are World Heritage sites.
Riding into Cusco takes nerves: steep, narrow streets, many of them cobbled, sometimes one-way, often crowded with taxis, pedestrians and tourists. The city is at around three thousand four hundred metres, and newcomers should allow a few days to acclimatise before riding hard. The real treat is out of town. The road north over the hills to Pisac drops into the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba in a long series of bends with spectacular views, and from there you can follow the valley to Ollantaytambo or climb to the salt pans of Maras and the circular terraces of Moray. Further afield, the road towards Abancay and the passes beyond are among the great roads of South America.
Fuel, mechanics and accommodation are easily available in Cusco. The food scene is excellent, from street stalls to upscale restaurants: try a bowl of quinoa soup, alpaca, or, if you are adventurous, cuy, the roast guinea pig. Coca tea helps with the altitude, and the chicha, maize beer, sold in houses marked by a red flag, is a local tradition.